Michael Cortez: So, everyone knows there’s a reason to everything, what made you start playing football?

Najee: What made me start playing football was to keep me out of trouble so my mom put me in football.

Michael Cortez: Man, that sure was time invested right (laughs).

Najee: Yea, I grew to love it, so now I’m here.

Michael Cortez: What is your why with your athletic goals?

Najee: My why is my family, seeing them struggle on a daily basis, trying to make it in this world, those reasons fueled my ambition.

Michael Cortez: Right right, I can definitely relate to that. The ones you love hurting because of the economy became one of my personal whys’ as well. What are the difficulties with trying to balance out football, college, and life?

Najee: The difficulty is trying to find more time.

Michael Cortez: More time for school, your family, enjoying what you worked so hard for?

Najee: All of them (laughs)

Michael Cortez: I can agree with you on a lower level, I ain’t on yo level, but trying to work, get school work done, live a young man’s life, and do more is a lot (laughs).

Najee: Yup, but if we don’t persist with our goals, we’ll never have points on the board.

Michael Cortez: Footballer wisdom (laughs). Everyone has inspiration, who or what has inspired you currently or in the past with your dreams?

Najee: Who inspired me was my mom honestly, she’s a strong woman, so seeing her struggles in life, and she has the ability to never quit makes me go the extra step.

Michael Cortez: It’s always the mommas who are the strongest man, I’ll tell ya that. I admire your inspiration because I can strongly relate.

Najee: Yea, she’s the best.

Michael Cortez: Besides football, what are your aspirations?

Najee: Besides football I like to give back to the community and the hood, own my own business, have a wife and kids.

Michael Cortez: I like that man, you seem like a down to earth guy, wanting to do more for more than yourself, and you wanting to own a business tells me that your mind is looking towards the future. Plus, the family (laughs), that’s futuristic too.

Najee: Yea, I have plans, always had plans, always will have plans (laughs).

Michael Cortez: A man without a plan is a lost one. I got wisdom too (laughs), you ain’t the only Confucius (laughs). Could you imagine your life without football?

Najee: Uhhh, no, I can’t imagine myself without football, no.

Michael Cortez: Is it because you’ve been playing this sport all your life?

Najee: Yea, the love for the game is real.

Michael Cortez: What advice could you offer to any player in any division from pros to youth football?

Najee: What advice I can give is know what you really want in life, and grind at it, keep God first, never get too ahead of yourself, and be humble.

Michael Cortez: That right there is hella real. I see why you are where you’re at.

Najee: Yea, keeping those in mind keeps me going.

Michael Cortez: I have my pillars as well, but this is the Najee Harris interview (laughs). Do you feel any pressure on you at this point in your life especially at a young age?

Najee: I don’t really have no pressure now. I know it’ll come later, but for now I’m fine.

Michael Cortez: I’m glad you have no pressure, because from the outside looking I would think that you have pressure.

Najee: Nah, I’m just enjoying life (laughs).

Michael Cortez: Right, it’s life, make it great, and relax. So, a lot of people think of you as a star player, would you agree with them or a great player who’s still himself?

Najee: Damn people see me as a star player that’s crazy (laughs loud). I don’t see myself as a great player yet, I’m still working at it, and no matter what I’m still myself.

Michael Cortez: Like I said earlier in our interview, you’re a down to earth guy (laughs), I think you’re a great player, but it’s great to know you don’t let anything feed your ego. Thanks for letting me interview you Najee, I really appreciate it and appreciate you opening to the readers.